Becoming This
by Akat Wolfe
Summary: Kitto Owlette is just a normal every day detective. However, when strange murders have been happening in Los Angeles Kitto is mixed in a case that she has become obsessed with. What will happen now that she finds out the killer has been watching her for?
1. A Distant Memory

She took a bite of the chocolate bar held in her hand. Brown eyes, almost as chocolate-colored as the candy bar, watched the screen closely. Kitto knew she had to catch him- at least in something. No way was he that innocent.

Then, she had spotted something that made her grin freakishly and motioned for her partner to come over. He did quickly and leaned in towards the screen.

She replayed the section of the video she had caught the person opening the case at. Pointing her pointer finger at the screen her eyes locked onto the body of the person. Kitto watched as he unlocked the combination lock and opened the case door.

Kitto leaned back and crossed her arms behind her head. The man took something out of the case and looked over his shoulder before turning around and leaving the area where the camera was viewing.

"There, that's simple. He took it. He's our thief," Kitto said and stretched her arms out.

"Okay, so now that we know he took the money, we've got to figure out what he did with it," said her partner, Dale.

Kitto put a thoughtful pointer finger up to her lips. She quietly tapped them twice. Then she smirked.

"Well, we know that he was caught once useing stolen money to pay off a gang for getting even at someone. Maybe he's paying them again?" She suggested as she worked on making his file pop up on the screen.

"Uh, well. How many people is he trying to get even with?" Dale tilted his head and rubbed the back of his head, messing up his copper-colored hair.

"Well he doesn't need to pay a gang to do that same kind of job twice. It's like going to a car repair shop after they've repaired your tires then going back to get a window replaced." She was typing away at the keyboard and more things were popping on the screen.

"Ahha, see?" She said pointing to a paragraph on the screen. Dale looked at it. "The gang is known not only to do jobs of getting even, selling information and illegal drug trading."

"Hmmm. Maybe he's trying to get information on someone?" Dale rubbed the back of his neck.

"Maybe. It's a possible chance since he's the boss of a business. He's probably trying to dig up information on a rival business. We need to look at all the companies related to his in the area and the surrounding areas."

"Right, I'll get to it."

Dale straightened up and walked away from Kitto and the computer that now showed the information of Larry Miller's information. Kitto was still smirking at the screen. "I'm not gonna loose this time," She laughed.

Kitto would win this investigation if it killed her. Glancing at the clock, Kitto noticed it was time for her to head home and write that report for Ganba.

Kitto pressed the button on the monitor and pushed back the chair away from the computer desk. She looked around the office where Dale and her worked. She remembered when she had started working here with dale as her partner. Kitto was hired because she was offered the job.

Kitto wouldn't have just shown up and asked for the job. But she figured working for the police seemed alright other than working for a gang who were all caught and booked three motnhs later.

The funny thing was, Kitto didn't beleive in good or wrong. She just did her work. If they wanted someone caught, Kitto caught them. No questinos asked. Kitto needed no ifs, ands or buts, she just need the file on the suspect and she got to work.

She had grown up on finding jobs that paid well. If the job paid better than the job she was currently workign for she left. And she knew how to cover her tracks if someone tryed to track her and get back at her.

Because the police had known about her and known about her smarts, they offered her job with a equally smart detective. Kitto had asked what they would pay her and since it was alot, she accepted. She currently hasn't run across any more jobs in Los Angeles that paid more.

Kitto stood, stretching herself backwards as she yawned. She grabbed her bag and stuffed the file of Larry Miller in the front pocket. Swinging the strap over he should and buckling it, Kitto walked out of the office shutting and locking the door behind her.

Kitto had a habbit of locking doors, ever since the day that thief broke into her home. Kitto was six years old, and she was left home alone so that her mother could run to the store for groceries. She had stayed in her room all day hid underneath her bed and hugging a old stuffed cat doll that she charished.

Suddenly, BAM. Kitto had crawled out of the bed and dragging along I.Q., the doll, she stood at the top of the stairs staring at the back of a man she'd never seen before. Kitto began to panic and squeaked as he accidently knocked over a vase.

Her heart raced as the man turned and looked at her, his dark eyes locked onto her terrifyed face. Kitto screamed and spung around than ran into her mother's room. She slammed the doro behind her, hearing that the man began running up teh stairwell. She locked the door to borrow time and ran over to the white plastic phone at the side of her mother's bed.

She grabbed the phone and slipepd under the bed while dialling 9-1-1. She began sobbing as an operator answered the phone. Tears began swelling at the corners of her brown eyes.

"Hello, this is 9-1-1. Please state your locatino and emergancy," a female voice said.

Kitto shuddered as she heard fists bang on the door and a deep bellow rang out. But Kitto did hear the words, for she placed her hands over her ears.

"Hello?" Asked the operator.

"P-please. Help me, there's soem strange man in my mummy's house. Please send help!" She squeaked the last word as there was a huge BANG on the other side of the door.

Silence. Kitto was sobbing as she heard that operator was trying to contact a officer. She cuddled the doll in her arms, tears running down her face and soaking the fabric of the doll.

Please, she begged silently. Don't hurt me.

"Kitto?" Said a soft voice, the exact voice herm other had. "Kitto, dear, are you alright?"

Kitto froze and rubbed a fist across her left eye. "Kitto?" The voice sounded mroe paniced as it called out again.

"M-mum?" She whispered as she climbedo ut from under the bed and placed her hand on the doornob.

"Kitto! Let me in, did he hurt you-?" Her mother asked as Kitto unlocked the door and turned the knob.

She stared up at the face of her mother and tears flowed from her eyes. She dropped the phone and the doll and swung her arms around her mother's waist.

As her mother began crying Kitto thought she smelt something funny. Something she'd never forget. Blood.


	2. An Offer

Kitto was walking down the street that she usually took from the office to her home. She swung around the cruve and into an alley that was now as Ash Trail. It was msotly called that because the neighbors nicknamed it that for a place that they burned branches and trash at.

Kitto thought it was funny that they did that, but didn't question them. She turned to a silver gate that was gleaming into the bright sunlight. She grabbed the latch and pushed it back then pushed in the gate. She turned around and latched the gate back. Kitto continued her way to her house. That house was painted black, it wasn't the only black house in the neighborhood. Kitto had nicknamed this block Emo Ville.

The other houses were either painted black or grey or a combination of the two. And Kitto kind of hated it. She wanted to paint the house something else, in fact the paint to do that was in the basement, but she didn't have the time. She had never really any time to herself.

Some wonder how she wasn't stressed from all the work. But Kitto actually didn't care. That's what made her such a good employee, she could be bleeding to death with a cut throat and wouldn't care and would keep on working. Though if she really had her throat cut she wouldn't be doing really any much movement.

Walking up to a white door, Kitto placed the key in the lock and unlocked it. As soon as she did she spotted a letter on the welcome mat. Crouching down, she saw it was signed with her name on the back. She picked it up and flipped it over. No return address.

She rolled her eyes thinking it was probably Ganba telling her to pick her ass up and get a move on. Oh well, she slid a finger under the fold and dragged it across the paper, ripping open the letter.

She pulled out a small piece of paper and set down the letter which held the ntoe on the coffe table. She threw down her bag on the sofa and flung herself onto the oppsite side the bag sat on.

She squinted at the neatly printed crusive letters. She slowly made out the words and then she smirked.

Dear Ms. Owlette,

I appologize that I couldn't find a better way to contact you.

I would like request your help in solving a case. If you are willing to assist me, please go to the Chillin' Cafe and leave a letter on the fifth table in the third row tomorrow around 12;00 P.M. You will be paid well.

L

Hm, so L wanted to ask for help on solving a case? Kitto almsot couldn't beleive it. The great L needed help? HA HA! No- she shouldn't laugh. It was good that he was reaching out for help, it meant that his ego wasn't too big that he wouldn't ask for help solving something. Kitto followed the instructions on the back of the paper to rip the paper up and burn it. She did so in the Ash Trail. Seemed like the most sensible place.

Kitto returned to her house and sat down at her computer. Just as she was going to pull up Microsoft Word on her screen, a little black rectangle in the shape of a letter appeared. It was laced with white and the fold's edge was also traced with white. She clicked on the letter and it made a little animation of popping open and the letter being pulled out.

A window popped up on her screen and she read who the letter was from, Ganba. Her boss. What did he want? She narrowed her eyes and scrolled down as she read the letter. Then she sighed as she closed the window. She had been put on leave.

It stated no reason, just that she had been put on leave until Ganba said she could return. Puffing out her cheeks, Kitto shut off the computer. Getting up from her chair, she made her way to the kitchen. She opened the cabinet and grabbed a jar of peanut butter then opened the drawer and pulled out a silver spoon.

She screwed off the lid to the peanut butter jar and stuck the spoon in the jar. She pulled it out and popped it in her mouth. Smiling as she could now enjoy her peanut before bedtime tonight without passing out at her computer doing yet again another report. Kitto sat down on the sofa and picked up the remote to the television and pressed the ON button.

The screen came to life and showed a news broadcaster reporting another murder in Los Angeles. It wasn't new to Kitto, she had heard about the first and second ones. Kitto leaned back into the arm of the sofa and spooned another spoonful of peanut butter. Around midnight Kitto shut off the T.V. and put the empty peanut butter jar on the coffe table next to the case file. She sighed as she pulled her jacket over her and clsoed her eyes.

Tomorrow she would have a mroe busier day. Hmmm. Interesting.


	3. The Plan

Kitto awoke to the sound of a truck starting up and rumbling off. She rubbed her tired eyes and yawned. How long had she been alseep . . .? Kitto tossed her legs over the edge of the couch and pulled herself up then squinted at the clock. It was blurry. Sighing, Kitto grabbed her black framed glasses and stuck them on her face. The clock's numbers and hands popped out at her clearly now.

1;00 P.M., still not time to meet L. Or at least leave that letter. Kitto rolled her brown eyes and ran a hand through her brown hair. Then Kitto stopped to think about the letter. She frowned when she remember that her last name was mentioned. Kitto hated that L had known about her last name. She clearly took it as a threat if anyone knew her real last name. She kept it a secret, hiding behind several other names. However, she never once revealed her last name. Not even in kindergarder.

Kitto looked down at the coffee table, the peanut butter jar was still there. She picked it up and went into the kitchen, she threw it into the black plastic trash bin.

Kitto glanced over at the sink, no dishes. She had apparently washed them all already. Puffing out her cheeks, Kitto placed a finger to her lips and tapped it agaisnt them.

What else did she need to do? Oh yeah! She grabbed the bag at the foot of the couch and threw it over her shoulder then buckled the strap in. She grabbed her keys and threw open the front door. She slammed the door shut and locked it. Then Kitto turned, ran down the stairs and out the front gate. She didn't stop to latch it. She continued to run down to teh curve and turned on the street that took her to the office. She knew that she had been put on leave, but she couldn't just abandon the case.

Kitto walked up to the building and pushed open the front glass door. She didn't bother to check in, since she was on leave why bother? She went up the stairs to the second floro and opened the door to her and Dale's office. She saw Dale's back to her as she closed the door behind her.

Dale glanced over his shoulder at her. "Kitto? But aren't you on leave?" He asked.

Kitto just grinend at him and took her place at the chair in front of her computer. "I may be, but I'm still getting paid for this job. I'd feel guilty if I wasn't doing something and still get paid for it," She said and turned on the monitor.

"Uh- Kitto. Since when have you cared about that? Wait, what're you doing?" Dale asked as he looked over her shoulder at the file she had brought up.

"Dale, this is our case. We should work on it you know. Now, have you been looking at the businesses I asked for?" She looked up at him. He nodded.

"Yeah. So far there's only one or two businesses that rival with Miller's. However, it seems he's never shown any interest in them. In fact, I interviewed a couple of the workers there and they said that he ignores them compeltely," He told her and pulled up his chair from his computer.

"Ah, well. Workers can lie for their boss, however I know that not everyone can keep lying. If, by chance he's informed his workers that he might get in trouble with the law and told them what to say, then we need to somehow trick one of them into saying the wrong thing." She pulled up a file of Miller's best worker.

"This guy would be our best chance. However, how do you suggest we confrotn him?" Kitto stared at Dale. Dale had been thinking the whole time.

". . . ."

"Well? If you're not gonna talk than I might as well continued with my own plan. I think that we should confront him with asking him to come over to our office and answer some questions. If the pressure doesn't break him, then we should go ahead and tell him what exactly is going on. However, if he should not know a thing about this we could be taking a risky step."

She pulled a peanut butter jar out of her bag. Dale rolled his eyes.

"You shouldn't eat that. You'll get sick. And I think that we should possible questino more than one at the same time. Likely, one of them will slip up," Dale said and watched her unscrew the lid to the peanut butter jar then pull out a spoon.

"Peanut butter helps me think. So, your assumtion is that we question more than one at the same time. Hmm. Well we can't let them have contact with each oher so it'd be smart to just bring them in manually and not alert of anyone else of the plan."

She spooned the peanut butter and popped it in her mouth. Dale rubbed the back of his neck.

"At least you don't do that to your hair very much anymore, you almsot started rubbing your hair off," Kitto commented and watched him throw her a quizzical look.

". . . Oh. That? Well. . . Anyway, so that's the plan?"

"Yes," Kitto popped up three pictures of the people they would be targeting. "These people'd be the best ones to confront."


	4. Solved?

The men linned in front of Dale and Kitto all had weird expressions on their face. Kitto had spotted one of them; nervous. Taking this chance as to that they were afraid of being caught by the law in teh act of lying Kitto had smirked that insane smirk of hers.

The man sitting in the first chair had a mroe pissed off face, Kitto would clear him first. She cleared her throat and looked at the first man, Calvin Mellotice.

"Mellotice, come with me." She didn't bother with 'please' or a 'Mr.' as a title. Kitto jsut wanted to solve this case and get done in time to get that letter to L.

Mellotice stood and followed Kitto into the back section of the office. Kitto pulled the privacy curtain shut and poitned for Mellotice to sit in the chair in front of a chair and desk that Kitto sat behind.

"Calvin," She said to gain his attention.

He looekd up and raised a eyebrow.

"Your boss, Miller, has been caught in the act of stealing money," She said. At this the man's eyebrows furrowed. "And we've brought you here to question about any mysterious actinos your boss has taking lately."

"Well, Mr. Miller has been acting weird lately. But I thought that was because he found out his daughter was pregnant," Admitted Mellotice.

Kitto perked up at this, writting the note down on a piece of paper on the desk. "Okay, could you explain to me please?"

"Er- well. Mr. Miller found out his daughter was pregnant with some gang member and he wanted her to get an abortion and she wouldn't so he banned the guy from his house and-"

"Ah. So has Miller been more aggressive lately?" Kitto asked.

"Um. I guess. He doesn't come out of his office more lately. And he skipped serveral birthday parties," Calvin said, now his eyes wide. "I-is Mr. Miller planning to do something dangerous?"

"Mr. Mellotice. I have no idea if he is or not. It is possible. At first we thought it was involved with business, but seeing this new clue is important to the investigation to why he stole the money. Is there anymore you would like to say?"

"Um- no. There's nothing that I know, sorry." He leaned back and gripped the arm of the chair and pressed a hand to his chin. He was thinking, what about? Kitto frowned when she thought that she possibly ruined his career.

"You may go now, you don't need to stay anymore. Thank you for helping with this investigation, Mr. Mellotice," Kitto dismissed and Calvin nodded before getting up and leaving the privacey curtain.

She scribbled down more notes. Then she sighed and turned her head. "Turner!" She called.

She heard a chair scrap back and footsteps that came closer to her. The privacey curtain pulled back and a tall, muscular man stepped in.

"Have a seat," she said dully. He cleared his throat before sitting down.

"Mr Turner. We have reason to beleive that Mr. Miller has been upset lately about his pregnant daughter. Do you have any information on this?" Kitto questioned, resting her elbow on the desk and putting her head in the palm of her hand.

Turner didn't know much, but spileld that he had known Miller stole the money to pay off some guy to 'help' with the gang member. Kitto had dismissed him and grinned.

"Got 'cha," She whispered before calling in the last person. He was the one with the nervous face.

". . . Mr. Filch? Ah- hello. We need to know somethings . . . "

Filch didn't know anything but was more nervous than usual. Kitto wondered if he was always like this, maybe his life was tough?

She dismissed him when she was finished questioning him. As he left the room, Dale entered the privacey curtain.

"So, what's the virdict?" He asked and glanced down at her notes.

" . . . Pregnant daughter?" He asked and tilted his head, stilling staring down at the notes.

"I think that we have a angry fatehr on our hands. He's stolen the money to hire the 'help' to 'take care' of him," She said with a sigh. "And here I thought it was something fun like business territory wars."

Dale shook his head, "You shouldn't think like that. People'd think you actually liked the thrill more than the contentment."

"So? If I do or not is my business. Anyway, would you like to go with me to a cafe?" Kitto offered. Dale shook his head again.

"Can't, girlfriend's gotta go to her parent's house today." Dale threw her an apollogetic look.

"Oh, that's fine. I wasn't gonan stayl ogn anyway. Hope you and Karen have a good time."

"You too."

"See ya," Kitto said as soon as she gathered her bag and peanut butter jar. She left the building with a frown on her face, and it stayed all the way to the cafe. It was almsot time to slip the noteo n the table. However, Kitto couldn't hlep but feel lonely.


	5. A Challenge

Kitto walked into the cafe around the time she was supposed to show up. The frown still strongly on her lips. Without thinking Kitto walked over to the third row of tables to the fifth table and set down the letter neatly between the menu and the salt and pepper shakers.

She turned her back and walked right back out, ignoring anything around her. She turned a curve and came to the street to her house. She kept going and came to the gate that was now stained with some red liquid.

Kitto stopped and stared at it, brown eyes wide and her heart starting to speed up. A bloody BB was printed on the mail post next to the gate, which blood was still dripping onto it. Kitto held a hand to her mouth, the smell was horrible.

She pushed open the gate wider and glanced around her yard. Just as she was reaching her garden following the smell she stepped on something soft, but a body. The bloodied remains of a house cat. Kitto stared at the orange tabby lying just below her foot.

At the exact same time her cellphone ran. Kitto fished it out of her pocket and flipepd it open to see who was calling. Dale. She pressed the 'talk' button and pressed the speaker up to her ear.

"D-Dale?" She stammered, her stomach feeling twisted by the dead animal in her garden.

"Um. Kitto, Miller is dead. So is the boy," Dale said.

"What?" She asked, almost swearing she heard that two other people were dead.

"Yeah. And there's a B one each one of their backs. Written in blood. Also, we found the boy's tounge in the bathroom sink." dale's voice was shakey like hers.

"Dale. Ohmygod. I just found a dead cat in my garden. There's BB written in blood on my mail post," She whispered and shut her eyes.

"I'm sorry Kitto. Do you want me to come over?" He asked.

"I thought you were out with your girlfriend?"

"I was, but then this came up. Kitto there's something you need to know."

Kitto was stumped. "What?" She asked.

"Um, they think the same person that did some other killings did these ones. No doubt he left that dead cat for you too."

"B-but. Why did he target me?" Kitto narrowed her eyes and looked down at the cat still laying at her feet.

"There's a possiblity that he's targeting because you were going to agree to help L. L's working on the case to catch this guy. It seems he's pretty smart too," Dale said.

"So I'm being targeted because I agreed to the stupid thing? ERG- Why didn't L tell me?" She huffed.

"Possible that he didn't want you to know so you wouldn't refuse him."

"That's selfish. And he said he'd pay me well."

Dale sighed. " . . . Kitto you'd do anything for money."

"So what if I would? I'm paid- I'm happy."

"I've got to go, Kitto. They're coming over to tell me the details."

"Got it, bye."

"Bye." Kitto clicked the phone off and flipped it back. She stuffed it back in her pocket. Awkwardly, she picked the cat up by the tail and took it into the ally. She pulled out her lighter and flicked it on. Not caring, she threw the whole thing on the dead animal's body which lit up in flames.

Now, this 'BB' person had just ruined her case that she was getting close to solving. It was war now. 'BB' would be caught by her sooner or later.


	6. Ryuzaki

Kitto had the feeling of being sick all day. Mostly, she was pissed off. Someone, whom she wouldn't know of until she started the case with L, had killed two other people involved with Kitto's case. Erg, she hated when unexpected things happened. Kitto hated surprises.

Kitto had retired to her bed that day, thorwing herself down on the covers and pillows. She ran her hand over the lace-like texture of her favorite pillow. Still confused about teh day's events she fell asleep.

Kitto woke up the next day around noon. The first thing she heard as the BRING-BRING of the alarm on the computer.

Sleepily, she drug herself up and sat down in front of the computer. She brought the mouse to an orange flashing bar at the bottom of the screen. She clicked on it and up popped a email.

She squinted and tryed to figure out the letters written across the white background. It was from Dale. She mummbled something that she didn't quite remember later to herself.

Dale had been called to the scene of another murder. The pregnant daughter had been killed. Kitto slammed her fist down on the desk.

"DAMN! He not only killed Miller and the boy, but the girl too! Hmph. What's he thinking?" She whispered the last thing as she glared at the screen.

She pushed her chair back and got up from the computer. She huffed as she stomped into the bathroom. Kitto pulled open the cabinet behind the mirror and pulled out the toothpaste and thoothbrush. She closed the door and squirted the paste on the toothbrush. She violently scrubbed her teeth. Kitto always had white teeth. There were rare times when it seemed her teeth were slightly staining.

She slammed the toothbrush down on the edge of the sink and rinsed her mouth out before looking into the mirror. She brushed away soem toothpaste at the corner of her mouth. Kitto observed the rest of her face's features. She had brown hair, dark brown hair, brown eyes. Her face was oval shaped.

Kitto walked out of the bathroom and walked into the kitchen. She pulled out a jar of peanut butter and stuffed it into the bag. She had plans today. Kitto picked up a ntoebook and stuffed it into the same pocket as the case file.

She stretched before leaving her house. She would be sure to lock the front and back door and latch the gate. She glanced five times behind her before she disappeared on the curve.

She continued down the street, shoulders kind of hunched and her head bowed. She continued down to a park and sat down on the nearest bench. She sat with her bag in her lap and the case file pulled out and opened to Miller's photograph of his face.

It was twenty mintues later of thinking when a man sat down next to her. She glanced up from the file and saw he was looking off into space. She pursed her lips before looking back down at the file.

"Nice day, eh?" His voice was very controled.

Kitto looked back up, "I suppose," she said.

"Oh? Are you not having a good day?" He chuckled.

"Hmm? Oh. . . . I'm not so sure about that. Though start to the day."

"Hunh?" He was observing her, closely. Kitto looekd him over, what did he want?

"Um, yeah. I just came here for a break," Kitto said and shut the file.

"I come here when I need to clear my head of something. Like today, I woke up thinking that I needed something to clear my stress," he said.

Kitto noticed the way he was sitting, with his knees up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them.

"Uh . . That's nice. I came here to work," she said and pulled out her jar of peanut butter and a plastic spoon.

". . . What's that your eating?" He asked, leaning in and looking down at the jar.

"Peanut butter. Helps me think. Er- are you okay?" She narrowed her eyes as he was now looming over her.

"Oh, sorry." He stucked his thumb up to his mouth.

"Um. What's your name?" Kitto decided to ask.

"Rue Ryuzaki. Your's?" He asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Kitto Owlette. Er- nice to meet you Rue," She said and stuck out her hand for him to shake.

"Please call me Ryuzaki," He said while nibbling his thumbnail. He just continued to star at her face and ignroe the hand offered.

"Oh. Well anyway, nice meeting ya Ryuzaki. Do you come here often?" She asked.

"Yes. I'm working on a case as of now and about to go work with another detective that I met."

"Huh? You're a detective . . . As am I. I'm working on a case, but there seems to be a killer that interupted it," She almost growled mentioning it.

"That's interesting," He said.

"I've actually been asked to look at another case also. And this other case mixes me in with the killer and my other case," Kitto said with a sigh. She screwed the lid back on her peanut butter.

"I've always prefered jam . . . " He mummbled.

"Hunh?" She looked over at him. He always prefered jam . . ?

"Excuse me, Kitto. I mean, I always prefer jam for thinking on something," Ryuzaki said.

"Oh. That's funny . . "

"Funny? Kitto- I could call your peanut butter obsession 'funny'."

"Uh, yeah." She tapped a finger on her bottom lip.

"Why do you do that?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at her finger.

"Um. I'm thinking."

"About?"

Why did he want to know?

"About the killer. Why he wanted to kill three people. . . "

"Who knows how killers think," Ryuzaki said without much emotion.

"Uh. . . yeah . . ." She stood, grabbing her bag.

"I've got to go," She said.

"Wait, Kitto- want to go out to eat some time?"

. . . This guy was weird. However, Kitto smiled at him.

"Sure," She said and waved. She left the park thinking what the hell did she just agree to.


	7. Invitation

Kitto was back at her house. She was in the kitchen and was sitting on top the counter. She had woken up at 4 a.m. in the morning. It was all because of that dream, the one where her mother killed that thief.

Kitto felt hate for the man whom tryed to harm her and steal from their house. She hugged her knees closer. Kitto didn't know why she felt so empty as her mind switched to her mother. How she loved her . . .

She had grown up with her mother since she was thirteen years old. The day her mother was killed in an accident she was sent off to a orphanage because her father refused to take her in. After two years of staying there, Kitto was adopted by a woman who'd she still cared less for.

The woman was abusive. She hated her. Kitto felt tears swell in her eyes as she bowed and shook her head. She rubbed her eyes, ridding the tears in the corner of her eyes.

Kitto took in a deep breath and held still, not moveing or beathing. After a few seconds she twitched, then swung her legs over the edge of the counter. She jumped off and shuffled back to her bedroom. She opened the door and flung herself down on the covers. A sob escaped Kitto's thorat. She clsoed her eyes and wished silently that she could forget everything. A new start.

Kitto was now outside of her house, moving around the garden and trying to get rid of that horrible smell of a dead creature. Glaring at the blood stained spot where the orange tabby had laid, Kitto sighed and turned her back on teh whole thing.

To her surprise she saw Ryuzaki ontop of her car's hood. She threw him a quizical look but he just stared at her with owlish eyes.

"Um- Ryuzaki how'd you . . . ?" Kitto asked, tilting her head slightly.

"I followed you," he answered automatically.

"Uh- . . . Ryuzaki you do know that's rude, right?" She pulled a black metal chair that was placed by a tree.

"Oh? Then I'm sorry." . . He didn't sound the least bit sorry. Kitto sat down in the chair and sighed.

"I was just trying to fix the garden," Kitto said and waved a dismissive hand at the mess that she called a 'garden'.

"Hmm. . ." Ryuzaki hummed.

". . . . What?" Kitto blinked.

"Oh- Nothing. Well, Kitto would you like to go out for a bite?" Ryuzaki said nibbling his thumbnail.

"Huh? Oh . . . well. I guess I do need a break . . . "

"Well then," Ryuzaki said and stood up, looking at her with expectant eyes.

Kitto stood and she followed him for at least a block. "Ryuzaki where are we eating at?" She asked.

"I thought we'd go out to the cafe that everyone seems to like," He said over his shoulder.

"Uh, okay then." Kitto looked around the street awkwardly.


	8. A New Offer

When they arrived Kitto had token a place near a large window. She could clearly see that no one on the other side of the glass would be able to see her unless they entered the building. Propping her elbow on the table and resting her chin in her palm, Kitto looked around the unfamiliar faces that typically surrounded her.

Ryuzaki had squatted into a chair. Kitto stared at him and wondered what it felt like sitting like that, just for her amusement she imagined herself in the position. She almost busted out in a fit of giggles but stopped herself as Ryuzaki was watching her while nibbling on his thumbnail.

"So, Kitto, what was wrong with your garden?" He asked and placed a hand on his knee.

"Hunh? Oh. . . Well there was a dead cat in my garden so you see . . ." Kitto glanced down at what Ryuzaki was messing with in his hands. It looked like a piece of paper.

"That's too bad. Oh, how's the investigation going?" He asked and leaned in slightly.

"Um, fine. Ryuzaki, are we gonna order anything?" Kitto asked as a waitress was hurrying over.

"Hmm. I suppose. However, I was thinking that maybe you know something about the case I'm working on also," He said.

"Hrrrmmm-?" Kitto had spaced out as the waitress came by and stood there with a stupid smile practically observing Ryuzaki.

"Hello, welcome to the Chillin' Café. What would you like served to you today?" She asked, staring at Ryuzaki the whole time.

Kitto mentally rolled her eyes. "I'll take a glass of water and the peanut butter and chocolate cake," She ordered off the mental list in her mind.

"I'm fine for now, thank you." Damn that Ryuzaki. If she'd known he drug her along just to talk to her she would've stayed home.

"Okay, I'll be back." The waitress turned on her heels and walked off.

Kitto noticed Ryuzaki never moved his eyes off her face. "What's up?" she asked.

"Well do you think you may be able to help?" Ryuzaki asked.

"Um- Ryuzaki don't you think that's a bit strange-?"

"To do what? Share possible information on a case isn't really-"

"No not that! Well- I mean. It's strange that you'd want me to help you out of the blue. I mean I just met you and now you want to get all friendly!" Kitto rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Oh? Well then I'm sorry-"

"However," Kitto said, leaning in to stare him closely in the eyes, "If you're out for my case-look you're not getting it."

She leaned back into her chair and crossed her legs. The waitress had returned with her cake and water. She asked Ryuzaki if he wanted or need anything, but he refused anything suggested.

"No, I am simply asking if you wanted to assist me on helping with this case," He said and nibbled his thumbnail again.

"Hmm. Well if you're not for my case. . . . Sure, I'll give it a crack. But I can't promise that I'll be able to stay on the case, I've already promised someone else help too," Kitto said and took a bite out of her cake.

"Good, if you'd like I'll leave a phone number you can call me from," He said.

"That'd be great." Kitto pushed back her empty plate and sipped from the icy glass of water.

"Glade you've agreed to help," He said, Kitto thought he'd seem something devious twinkle in his eyes but ignored it.

"Glade to be working with ya," She replied with a grin.


End file.
